Accelerator R&D in Spain is a relatively young activity. Nowadays several groups and laboratories are operating or developing projects and have become specialists in different accelerator systems. A network named CONECTA has been recently created with the aim of fostering collaboration and coordination at the national level. A general overview of these activities will be presented, with special emphasis on the ALBA Synchrotron, and with a perspective for the future.

Traditionally the IBIC accepts only contributions about beam instrumentation or beam diagnostics, which describe existing installations with beam measurements or other well settled subjects. In order to make room for new ideas or a description of unsolved problems the program committee has launched a small initiative called "speaker's corner", during which people will be invited to present shortly any sort of strange idea they have or report on unsolved problems, for which they need help in understanding. All contributions to this event will not be published in the proceedings.